Until we meet again (A war romance) (#Wattys2015)

Part 3

She hardly left her room for the next week, apart from the rare occasion of coming down for breakfast. She spent most of her time just sitting on her bed, just thinking. She wasn’t sure whether to feel angry at Matthew, sad, or whether she should make him want to stay. It was only on the day of the parade that she left the house.  She washed her lank, greasy hair, making it shine through her unhappiness, and put on her favourite forget-me-not blue dress. She didn’t even eat breakfast before heading to the town centre.

 There were hundreds of boys in the streets, all dressed in the same green uniform and cap, all standing to attention. Looking at their faces, Diana realised that she knew most of them as her friends. There was the baker and his son, the boys who worked down on the farm, and many more. Then she spotted him, Pete, Matthew’s brother.

“Oh Pete!” she rushed over to him, and he glanced down at her. She had never been very tall, and it made situations like this awkward. “Where is Matthew?”

“Matt’s up front with Dad I think, you look lovely today Miss Diana,”

Diana smiled, she and Pete were great friends, but she feared that his affections for her could never be returned. All the same, she thought him sweet.

“Thank you, Pete, you look exceedingly handsome in that uniform, it suits you.”

He blushed, but tried to hide it, “I see Matthew… there!”

She followed his gaze, and then she saw him.

“Matthew!” She cried. He turned just in time as she flung her arms around him. “I am so sorry I never came to see you, but I was selfish! I…”

“Di, it’s alright. You’re here now.”

She smiled, and they kissed. She nodded to his cap, “Looks smart, that. Makes you look taller,”

He grinned, but then his look became serious. “Don’t worry about me, Di. I can see you’re trying to hide it, but unfortunately, I know you too well.”

“I just- don’t want you to get hurt or worse, what if, what if you…”

“Well,” he patted her hand, “I don’t plan on dying anytime soon. You know what they’re all saying, it’ll all be over by Christmas! Then I’ll come back, maybe even sooner.”

Diana nodded, “Yes, yes of course you’re right. It’ll all be over by Christmas.” She tried a reassuring grin, just as the soldiers began to march.

“Good luck,” her voice was shaking, but she wouldn’t cry; she promised herself she wouldn’t.

He kissed her again, and she tried to remember this moment, to keep her warm on cold nights, to fulfil her when she was feeling down, to let her know that he would be back for her soon. He turned, and began to march. Then she remembered:

“Wait!” she cried, “I love you!” she doubted he even heard her.

“Come home safe,” she whispered sadly. All around her, fellow girlfriends and wives were waving, or kissing goodbye to their men. Some were crying, some were cheering, some were just waving, staring into space. Diana smiled to herself, she wasn’t alone, she wasn’t the only one losing someone to this war.

“Just come home.” Shouted into the sea of men, but once again: no reply.